U-PSY-BS - Psychology (BS)

The study of behavior and its determinants lies at the heart of our understanding of numerous systems ranging from the biological to the economic and social. Psychology majors and minors apply their understanding of human behavior to varied professional fields including mental and physical health care, research, education, policy, law, finance, consulting, marketing, and business management. Understanding of psychological concepts is also helpful for fields relating to engineering and data analysis.

Independent Study

A program of individual non-research-directed study may be carried out by arrangement with a faculty supervisor and enrollment in Psychology 391, 392, 491, or 492. This study should result in a significant product that promotes understanding or application of psychological science. At most only two Independent Study courses (whether research- or non-research directed) may count toward the major.

Research Independent Study

A program of individualized readings or an empirical research project may be carried out by arrangement with a faculty supervisor and enrollment in Psychology 393, 394, 493, or 494. Psychology 203 serves as an excellent introduction to Research Independent Study. A written plan for the program must be approved by the Research Mentor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. At most only two Independent Study courses (whether research- or non-research-directed) may count toward the major.

Graduation with Distinction Program

The Graduation with Distinction program is based on a special project that requires original empirical research, usually developed through completion of Research Independent Study courses. With approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, a critical analysis of a problem in the field based on an extensive literature review may be substituted for an empirical research study. The project is to be summarized in a carefully written thesis to be the subject of an oral examination. The opportunity to write a thesis and qualify for Graduation with Distinction is open only to those majoring in Psychology. Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA in Psychology of 3.5, without rounding, by graduation. Neither Independent Study classes in psychology, nor Research Independent Study classes in psychology, nor the Distinction Thesis Workshop, are included when calculating the GPA.

An application to the Graduation with Distinction program should be submitted by the last day of regular class registration for the term in which the thesis will be defended (for a fall defense, Fall registration in April; for a spring defense, Spring registration in November). The application must include names of the three people who will serve on the student’s committee. The committee chair generally holds a Primary or Joint Graduate Training Faculty appointment in Psychology & Neuroscience. (Other faculty in P&N may be able to serve as chairs with special approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies or with another faculty member serving as the chair of record.) The second committee member may hold a Primary, Joint, or Secondary appointment in P&N. The final committee member may be another faculty member in P&N, a post-doc or graduate student in P&N, a faculty member from another department at Duke, or a faculty member from another institution. (A current list of faculty with Primary, Joint, and Secondary appointments may be found under the People tab at psychandneuro.duke.edu.)

Students interested in applying for Graduation with Distinction will register for two Research Independent Study courses (Psychology 393, 394, 493, 494). (Usually these courses will be taken consecutively, but this is not required.) Students must register for the first Research Independent study before submitting their application for Graduation with Distinction. Ordinarily, the same faculty member will serve as a given student’s mentor both semesters. Candidates for Graduation with Distinction must also enroll in Psychology 496, the Distinction Thesis Workshop, a full-credit course focusing on the conduct of psychological research, ethics in research, professional development, and especially science writing, in order to prepare a quality thesis. Psychology 496 is only offered in the spring. Near the end of the final semester, candidates provide electronic versions of the thesis to their committee members and convene the committee for an oral examination. At the end of the oral exam, the committee decides whether the overall performance qualifies for Graduation with Distinction. An exceptional thesis combined with outstanding performance in psychology may qualify a student for nomination for the Zener Award. Graduation with Distinction research projects are displayed at the spring undergraduate research poster fair, Visible Thinking.

Website: psychandneuro.duke.edu/undergraduate/psychology/requirements